Lin Tianhao's brow creased in a subtle frown.There was no mistaking it—this was an illusion. A cleverly woven tapestry of false sensory input designed to ensnare the unwary. He knew that if his will faltered, he could easily become lost within this fabricated reality, a puppet dancing to the weasel's tune.He had to remain grounded, anchored to his true self, to pierce this veil of deception.A simple, if somewhat unorthodox, method presented itself: visualization.He forced himself to overlay the image of the alluring, long-legged woman with the memory of the weasel's true form—a hulking brute, over three meters tall, covered in coarse fur, its face a mask of savage snarls.The effect was immediate and visceral. As he looked at the woman, his mind conjured the image of the weasel attempting the same seductive poses, the contrast utterly grotesque.A wave of nausea washed over him, bile rising in his throat. He barely managed to keep it down, the very thought of the image sending shivers of revulsion through him.The woman, sensing his sudden discomfort, her perfect features momentarily marred by confusion."Could it be… he prefers the company of his own kind?" she murmured, a hint of disdain in her voice.As if in answer, the illusion rippled and reformed.Now, a handsome youth materialized before him, effortlessly dribbling a basketball, his lithe form moving with a fluid grace that was almost hypnotic. The rhythmic flexing of his muscles…Another wave of nausea threatened to overwhelm Lin Tianhao. This was no mere test; it felt like a deliberate act of mockery.Thwip!An arrow, loosed with unwavering focus, sliced through the air, finding its mark.-1028.The illusion shattered like fragile glass, the false image dissolving into nothingness.To Lin Tianhao's surprise, Shadow Kill had already broken free.With a fluid, almost serpentine movement, the assassin slid across the ground, positioning himself between the weasel's legs before driving his dagger upwards with brutal precision."Awoo—!"The weasel's cry was a mixture of pain and fury, its legs snapping together in a reflexive defense.It was a blow that inflicted minimal physical damage, but its intent was clear: a calculated insult, a distraction.Lin Tianhao understood. Shadow Kill was drawing the weasel's attention, buying him precious seconds to outlast the creature's Unbreakable state.The strategy worked. With a furious roar, the weasel abandoned the broken illusion and turned its rage upon the assassin.Thwip!With the weasel's attention diverted, Lin Tianhao unleashed a relentless barrage of arrows, his attack speed reaching its peak.Each arrow, guided by unwavering precision, found its mark at the base of the weasel's skull, delivering devastating critical hits."Roar! Roar! Roar!"The weasel's roars grew more frantic, laced with a growing sense of desperation.It knew it was being outmaneuvered, toyed with.Sensing the last vestiges of its Unbreakable state fading, it unleashed its Berserk ability without hesitation.Its speed exploded, transforming it into a blur of fur and claws.Shadow Kill, despite his exceptional reflexes, was caught off guard. The weasel's hand flashed out, unleashing Soul Drain. The assassin crumpled to the ground, instantly slain.Lin Tianhao winced, a grimace twisting his features.This was Shadow Kill's third death of the day. Twice he had fallen by Lin Tianhao's hand, and now, he had given his life to save him. A debt was owed.The weasel, having dispatched the assassin, turned its baleful gaze upon Lin Tianhao, casting Soul Control.A sudden chill pierced Lin Tianhao's very being, a frigid tendril of energy snaking into his soul.He felt his control over his own body begin to waver, his limbs growing sluggish and unresponsive.In that critical instant, Lin Tianhao made a swift decision, switching his weapon.The Thunderclap Bow was replaced by his shield.He knew that if he couldn't withstand the coming onslaught, he would be instantly annihilated. Furthermore, he couldn't risk the weasel turning him against himself with its dark magic. The shield was his best defense.With Lin Tianhao now under its sway, the weasel charged, its heavy paw slamming down upon his helmet.Critical Hit…-1512!The impact reverberated through Lin Tianhao's skull, a jarring blow that was followed by a relentless flurry of attacks.Slash!The weasel's claws raked across Lin Tianhao's throat, tearing through flesh and armor.-1626.Bleeding…-300.-300.…Blood welled from the wound, the bleeding effect taking hold.Lin Tianhao fought against the insidious control, struggling to regain command of his own body.Even with his resistance, he lost a significant portion of his health—a full twenty thousand points—before finally breaking free from the Soul Control's grasp.The moment he regained control, Lin Tianhao lashed out with a swift kick to the weasel's knee, using the momentum to execute a backflip, narrowly avoiding the creature's follow-up attack.Twisted String Arrow!Thwip!Just as the weasel's Unbreakable state finally dissipated, Lin Tianhao loosed a powerful Twisted String Arrow, aiming for the creature's throat.But the weasel, empowered by its Berserk state, had become significantly faster. With a surprising display of agility, it snatched the arrow out of the air with its bare hand.Lin Tianhao felt a jolt of surprise, but his focus remained unwavering.He continued his relentless assault, sending arrow after arrow hurtling towards the weasel.Without the protection of Unbreakable, the weasel's defenses crumbled.Lin Tianhao's attacks grew increasingly precise, each Twisted String Arrow finding its mark. The weasel, despite its enhanced speed, was unable to maintain its defenses. A single, slight miscalculation sent it staggering backward from the immense force of the spinning projectiles."Now," Lin Tianhao muttered, a cold glint in his eyes. He fired another arrow, striking the weasel's left leg. The creature stumbled forward, losing its balance.Immediately following, a second arrow found its mark between the weasel's eyes. The combined force of the two impacts launched the creature briefly into the air."Precisely as planned," Lin Tianhao thought, a predatory gleam in his eyes. With the weasel airborne and its Unbreakable state expired, the fight was as good as won.In the distance, a player approached, his face illuminated by the light of his live stream."What's up, guys?" he said with a grin. "You're all probably farming the Twisted Jungle, right? You probably haven't heard about the bard over here?""I have a feeling this guy's got some amazing quests. If I can complete one, maybe I can become as strong as Snow Emperor!"The streamer, known as "Brother Hu, Jiangcheng Branch," continued his approach, his camera trained on his own face.But as he drew closer, his expression shifted to one of stunned disbelief."Holy crap… holy crap, holy crap, holy crap…" he stammered.The viewers in his live stream, seeing his reaction, were immediately intrigued."What's wrong, streamer? Did you see some real-life fight happening in the game?" one viewer asked."Hehe, I heard some club owner in our area is planning to move his business into the game. But I think you need your own shop or territory to do that, or you'll get punished," another commented."Show us, streamer! Is it some kind of… beastiality? Who's the sicko?"Brother Hu, Jiangcheng Branch, swallowed hard, finally turning his camera towards Lin Tianhao.The live stream fell into a stunned silence.Then, a moment later…Holy crap… holy crap… holy crap…The chat exploded, a torrent of "holy crap" filling the screen."What am I seeing? That's a boss, isn't it? And that archer is keeping it in the air!" one viewer exclaimed."I play an archer too! I know about hit detection. Sometimes my arrows even miss normal monsters. How is he…?" another added."Mom asked me why I was watching the stream on my knees. She came over and knelt down with me," a third viewer wrote.The live stream was in chaos, everyone witnessing the incredible sight of Lin Tianhao's Twisted String Arrow technique keeping the weasel suspended in mid-air.Just as Brother Hu, Jiangcheng Branch, was fully engrossed in his live stream, the screen abruptly went black. He had died on the spot!And standing behind where he had fallen… was an assassin.